Why Your Team Needs YOU to Take a Summer Vacation

If you are on the fence about taking a vacation (or think that your team cannot survive without you), here are three questions to ask yourself. The answers may prove that you must take a vacation before the end of the summer if you want to ensure you and your team are positioned to deliver exceptional results for the remainder of the year.

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In today's "always on" world, entrepreneurs often struggle with
how to really unplug and step away. Not only can it be difficult
to maintain day-to-day work-life balance but leaders also wrestle
with deciding if, when, or how to take a vacation and step away
from the office for an extended period of time.

At the company I work for, Porch.com, a home-improvement network, we
have a very flexible vacation policy. Essentially, there is no
vacation policy. As long as you are hitting your goals and
getting your work done, you have the freedom to take time off
when you need it. My team often hears from me about the
importance of “putting life first”. This is not lip service to
curb favor. Over the years I have found that individuals are
far more productive and effective when they step away and
think about the business through a different lens --
preferably a lens that occurs outside of the office.

If you are on the fence about taking a vacation (or think that
your team cannot survive without you), here are three questions
to ask yourself. The answers may prove out that you MUST take a
vacation before the end of the summer if you want to ensure you
and your team are positioned to deliver exceptional results for
the remainder of the year.

Is your perspective tank full? If you never
step away from the office and the day-to-day challenges you are
trying to solve, you miss out on replenishing one of the most
vital fuels for business
success: perspective. Long-term planning, pragmatic
solutions to long-running problems and understanding what
really matters (vs. what you emotionally react to in the moment)
are all solved and gained through having the right
perspective. You will find that if you take a moment to pause,
slow down and reflect, you will gain greater clarity for
what’s ahead and what matters. Read some books, play some golf,
walk on a beach or do some yoga. Take some “you” time. When
you come back, your perspective tank will be full.

Team benefits: You will find that the
guidance and leadership you provide is clearer, more precise, and
more actionable when you get back.

How deep is your bench? When you step away
and take a vacation you create an opportunity for others to step
up. Who can you really rely on? Who has the horsepower to take on
greater challenges and opportunities? Who resonates as a leader
in your absence? This is important for those who are thinking
about succession plans, and it is also a great way to scale your
team for future growth. By finding out who you can rely on (in
ways you may not have considered), you can essentially get more
done when you get back.

Team benefits: You will find that people will be
empowered and their confidence will go up. You may find that
people are willing to step up and take on new challenges when
before they would have not. You will also find that team members
learn more when they work to solve problems in your absence.

Are you a corporate athlete? Throughout my
career I have considered myself a “corporate athlete.” Always
charging ahead, full of intensity, super focused on goals
and ability to get stuff done. Real athletes have the same
DNA. They also have one thing in common: They all take
breaks during the game. Every great athlete uses half
time to reassess their strategy and prepare for the rest of the
game. What they learn makes them (and their team) poised to take
on the rest of the game with renewed focus and passion. If you
consider yourself a “corporate athlete” you would benefit from
taking the same approach.

Team benefits: Whether it is an inspiring
kickoff you give upon your return or a better understanding of
the goals ahead, your team will thrive on your passion. Your
renewed perspective can be contagious, and it will arm the team
with the energy they need to take on the final months of the year
with passion and dedication.